Add a beautiful pergola to your outdoor living space

BEAUTIFUL PERGOLAS

Pergolas are a great way to bring the inside out. With a beautiful pergola your garden and entertaining area will become more intimate and comfortable on those days when you need to get out of the house or are having a few friends around.

Benefits of pergolas:
-->Add interest to a garden path.
-->Add structure for climbing plants.
-->Provide weather protection.
-->Improve the look of your house.
-->Screen out unsightly views.

The design of your pergola will depend on its function. Narrow pergolas emphasize direction and are best suited to paths and walkways. Entertaining areas should be wide and long. This allows for traffic flow around furniture and ornamental features. You could incorporate fixed seating into the structure or screening panels to create interest.
We recommend when possible, you choose cedar instead of pressure-treated lumber. Cedar is often more costly, but will maintain its shape and integrity longer. Labor for both types of construction are the same and the cedar is a better investment in your outdoor living space.

An open Patio with a Pergola feels like room within a room. Adding any vertical will give a sense of closure, filter sun, and bring comfort to your outdoor living space. If you want additional fun-filtering, you can add lattice or opposite 1x6 slate of lumber. You can even attach a fan to create a nice breeze!

You have many style options, including decorative ends. However, you should be aware that these ends should not extend over 12 inches from the structure to avoid warping.

Pergolas can be installed year-round in the Carolinas, so anytime is a good time to add one of these beautiful pieces to your outdoor space.

Check out our Pergola page on our website

Outdoor Living Consultations

If you are considering having work done on your outdoor living space, it is important first meet with an Outdoor Living Specialist to determine what will work best with your budget, property and needs.

A paverstone patio may make more sense in one place and not in another--a shade covering may be a better choice over a pergola (or vice versa!).

With Metro GreenScape, you are getting a wealth of experience and knowledge with will allow you to make the best decision for you, your family, and the investment into your home.

Consultations with an expert outdoor living specialist are available for $75. Call 704-504-0980 to set up your consultation today!

Ask Darin: There is fungus in my mulch!

Dear Darin: I have this fungus in my mulch and it is spreading everywhere, what do I do? It is sometimes yellow, white, black or brown, but it looks like dog throw up! Yuck!

ANSWER: We are seeing this fungus this year because of all the moisture we received this spring. The only way of treating this is to take a shovel to the effected area, carefully remove the fungus, put in a plastic bag and dispose. If you water it, step on it, or pop it, it will turn into a black powder and spread--not a good idea! Try to stay ahead of this and you will slow or stop the spread.

Ask the Expert: Home Staging

MARCYNE TOUCHTON

ASP(R), ASPM(R)

Founder of Domaine Staging, LLC

Many home sellers are now using the services of a professional home stager. When the house sits on the market for over 3 months, they realize that homes in our current market, with so much inventory to choose from, cannot be sold as is. Reduction in price won't guarantee a sale either, They see the value in staging a home, removing clutter and "de-personalizing" -because it is proven that a home that is staged sells faster, and gets top dollar. According to stagedhomes.com, a staged home sells in just 24 days versus the 177 days on the market of the average unstaged home. Yet too often I see homeowners-and even some professional stagers, forget about the first impression a house makes - from the outside.

My experience has shown me that staging a home should be done from the outside in. As a prospective home-buyer drives up to the property, they will form an impression of the house-and if the house is going to sell-that impression needs to be a good one! Simple things like new cushions on the lawn furniture, and a newly mowed lawn give the house a clean and fresh appearance. New mulch and landscaping assure the buyer that the yard has been well-cared for. And planters with blooming flowers or a seasonal wreath provide a warm welcome. Bigger improvements such as repairs to the driveway, or patio and new lighting can pay for themselves immediately in the higher offers that come through! Don't forget about the windows, it needs to be sparkling clean - free of cobwebs and check to make sure there is no wood rot on the windowsills.

A professional home stager will be able to look at the outside of the home with the same keen eye as we do the inside-looking for ways to declutter, tidy, and give the best impression. Everything from little touches to larger projects, such as a Metro GreenScape paver patio can increase the actual and perceived value, make it unique and sell that home quickly.

If you would like more information and/or to receive the Domaine Staging newsletter, email me at marcyne@domainestaging.com. You can also catch Domaine's tip of the day, become a Domaine Staging fan on Facebook!

* according to Stagedhomes.com. ASP, the only recognized designation by National Association of Realtors (TM).

NEWS: Metro GreenScape is a Top 100 Business!

Work with the best! Metro GreenScape Named to Top 100 Small Businesses in North Carolina!

Heather Brockelbank, Metro GreenScape president, today announced that Metro GreenScape was named a 2009 Top 100 Small Business in North Carolina and was ranked #63.

For the second consecutive year, Business Leader Media has ranked the Top 100 Small Businesses in North Carolina. These businesses were chosen from over 284 nominations and represent companies that have demonstrated significant business achievement and community involvement within the state of North Carolina.

Read More about Charlotte's own Metro GreenScape's Top 100 award!

The Top 100 rankings were announced at the 2009 Top 100 NC Small Business Event on June 17th at the Charlotte Marriott Executive Park.

June 11th Butterfly Garden Installed at McDowell Park in Charlotte

Metro GreenScape's celebrated Summer with McDowell Nature Park and the Charlotte Community!

The Green Life installed a new Butterfly Garden at McDowell Nature Center & Preserve Park on June 11th. Everybody had a good time and the butterflies are flocking to their new home. More photos from the day are on the Metro GreenScape Website!

MetroCHOICE - Charlotte's Organic Premium Lawn and Landscape Maintenance

Don't forget that Merto GreenScape now offers Lawn and Landscape Maintenance!

MetroCHOICE™ Organic Premium Lawn Care Program Your lawn and landscaping are generally the first views that people have of your home. What do they see? Is it what you want them to see? Is it what you want to see?! We are the experts in lawn and landscape maintenance.

And our MetroCHOICE™ Organic Premium Lawn Care Program is designed to give you access to experts on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually basis!

Programs start from $225 monthly for a typical 1/3-acre lawn.

Metro GreenScape
13601 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28278
704.504.0980